If the baseball season had begun the morning after Barack Obama clinched his pennant, the Rockies would be in first place in the National League West.

Sunday, during the Rox-Reds game that seemed it might last until the acceptance speech, I mentioned the amazing sports/politics paradox to Keith Olbermann, my first celebrity sighting before the DNC.

Olbermann, star of stage and screen, replied: “I flew out here from New York for that?”

The Olber Man aside, if the season had begun June 3, my extensive research revealed, the division would look something like this on the afternoon of Aug. 24:

Colorado Rockies 41-33

Los Angeles Dodgers 37-34

Arizona Diamondbacks 36-35

San Francisco Giants 33-38

San Diego Padres 25-45

Unfortunately, the Rockies’ season started (after an opening-game rainout) April 1.

The Rockies beat Cincinnati 4-3 in the bottom of the 12th Sunday. There’s no quit in the Rockies, but there’s Quint. Omar Quintanilla, of all people, hit a walk-off homer.

But, in truth, the Rockies were done by June 2, done in by an eight- game losing streak on the road at Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles (and defeats in 11 of 13). Matt Holliday, Brad Hawpe, Troy Tulowitzki and Clint Barmes — four of the regulars Sunday — were on the disabled list then. The Rockies couldn’t overcome their absences and lousy pitching.

Thirty games left, 15 on the road; the Rockies probably have to win 23 or 24 to figure. They leave; the Democrats arrive.

The Rox haven’t quit. Two comebacks in two games. Good for them. The Reds have quit. Five errors. Bad for them.

The Rockphiles haven’t quit. More than 100,000 attended the weekend series. Good for them. Everybody enjoy the rest of the season. And please smile, Matt Holliday. He drove in three runs Saturday night, then scored two runs Sunday. That should cause a happy face.

There were sad faces when the Rockies fell on May 3 to fifth place and 10 games out, on May 16 when they dropped 12 games back and, especially, on June 2 when they lost No. 8, were 18 games under .500 and 12 games behind the Diamondbacks.

Manager Clint Hurdle said that night: “We’re a no-excuses ballclub.”

The Rockies still have no excuses, for which they must be commended. Other players on other teams might have said: “We could have used two more quality starters, (darn) it.”

Last year on this date the Rockies had as much chance of going to the World Series as Obama did of winning the Democratic nomination.

Olbermann rattled off the names of myriad speakers at the convention on Tuesday and Wednesday — everybody but William Jennings Bryan and Estes Kefauver. I could rattle off the names of the Rockies, at least 16 of whom will return next season — everybody but . . . who knows? The list has not been announced.

The Rockies would like to start this season over, because they fell too far below too soon, had too many injuries and had too little starting pitching. Although they have gagged too often on the road and too much lately at home.

But the Rockies need, and I’ll say it again: “A couple of quality starters and two relievers, including a closer, darn it.” The Rox should re-sign Brian Fuentes, who pitched another scoreless inning Sunday. They can’t go the scrap heap and sign a Mark Redman, a Josh Towers, a Kip Wells, a Livan Hernandez.

Someday they have to surrender prospects for Dan Haren or just accept Franklin Morales as a long-range hope.

Ubaldo Jimenez gave the Rockies another genuine six-inning performance Sunday and will finish with maybe 12 victories after winning only one before June. Aaron Cook, who might have maxed himself out in his all-star performance, is a Rox-solid starter, and Jeff Francis likely could be firm again. But who’s got next — Morales, Jason Hirsh, Greg Reynolds or Brandon Hynick?

The Rockies may be the best club in a bad division for the past 60 games, but what about the other 102?

Down late on Saturday and Sunday, the Rockies kept playing. And they will keep playing late in August and September, and 2.5 million people and a region will get their money’s worth — especially the elderly guy and his young grandson who bought two Rockpile tickets for $2.

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